Kids on social media – Not all eyes are innocent
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Social media can be great but also dangerous especially for children.
That's why it's important for parents to take the necessary steps being involved with their children both online and in person.
It's so easy to share big parts of our lives on social media, including families, but it can also be easy to over share.
'Family Channels' and 'Mommy Vloggers' have become very popular on social media, sometimes with much of the focus on their children.
It's no secret these accounts get views, but some viewers may not be so innocent, like online predators.
Clinical and Forensic Psychologist Dr. Leslie Dobson has five things you can do to protect your children throughout their experiences:
- Avoid posting pictures of your kids.
- Use tracking devices.
- Monitor your child's behavior and communicate.
- Get to know your children's friends and parents before play dates.
- Read age appropriate books about their bodies.
But it all starts with a direct line of trust between yourself and your children. Dr. Dobson says, "I also model it. I tell them everything that's age appropriate as well. And any time they tell me something, I don't react in a way that is negative. If they have done something wrong at school, then we have a conversation about how to make that better. But I'm not scolding them and I'm not hurting that relationship or breaking that communication."
